http://www.lecancalais.com/berry-extract-matcha/
US $18.95
Berry Extract Matcha
Brain Boosting Foods by Jeff Behar
There are numerous natural foods, drinks, herbs and supplemental products that possess brain & body-enhancing properties.
The following foods, are a few of my favorites and were chosen based a variety of factors, ranging from overall proven health benefits, proven safety and lack of contraindications from these foods, and general availability and ease of incorporation of these foods into the diet.
It's important to keep in mind that there are many many other great foods that did not make my short list. It was not because they were any worse, it was just because I decided to write a short article today!!
My Top Foods for Brain Health
1) Wild Salmon
Wild salmon is not only an incredible food for brain health, but it is also one of the healthiest foods that one can eat. Wild salmon (not farm-raised) is one of the best sources of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), such as the all-important Omega-3. It is also a rich source of high-quality protein, while being low in saturated fat. Wild salmon also contains very little amounts chemical contaminants (such as mercury). Wild salmon can help do everything from improve your brain matter, your mood, your synaptic connections, your arteries, reduce your risk of stroke and Dementia and Alzheimer's and much more.
2) Cacao Beans
This amazing bean is one of the world's longest-revered foods (think 'time of the Aztecs' old) and has in recent years been shown to be a veritable powerhouse of cognitive enhancement, mood and bliss-enhancement (thanks in part to the Theobromine in cacao), antioxidants, flavonoids, catechins and many other brain & body-enhancing elements.
3) Matcha (stone-ground Gyokuru green tea powder)
Matcha is the finely-ground powder of the highest-quality, most revered part of the shade-grown green tea plant (Gyokuru leaves...the very top part of the shade-grown green tea plant then dried to become"Tencha") carefully grown, selected, dried, stone-ground, processed and prepared according to an ancient Japanese tradition, is not your average green tea. Nor does it come in tea bags. Nor do you brew it, boil it, or consume the watery extract from leaves.
When you drink real stone-ground Japanese Matcha, you're not only drinking the arguably highest-quality, most carefully cultivated green tea variety, you're actually consuming it all -- you're eating the whole thing, you're drinking the green tea leaf itself, whole, in powdered form mixed with hot (but not boiling!) water. The powder itself is so rich in chlorophyl (from the shade growing) that it's literally bright green, and when mixed with water it becomes a rich, bitter-sweet, concoction whose effects you can actually FEEL almost immediately after drinking a cup (or small bowl, if doing it the traditional Japanese way) of it.
Matcha is known for its calming and focusing affects(thanks in large part to the amino acid L-Theanine).
Matcha, if you are drinking an extremely concentrated, ultra-high quality form, straight, you will get plenty of free radical fighting ntioxidants, catechins, vitamins such as C and A, fluoride, and the meditatively calming yet focusing effects of L-Theanine. It also contains EGCG: Epigallocatechin Gallate, a compound found uniquely in green teas which has been shown to possess almost unbelievable anti-cancer, anti-aging and overall health benefits...so much so that 'EGCG' has become a health marketing buzzword for tea companies.
Matcha contains exponentially higher amounts of EGCG than regular brewed green tea (including high-quality fresh Sencha green tea). Matcha also has over 33 times the antioxidant levels of antioxidant powerhouse blueberries(!) So if you're looking for a great way to get a veritable blast of antioxidants (not to mention EGCG, vitamins, minerals, etc.), boost your brain with Zen-like concentration and physical benefits, it's hard to beat Matcha. And you can't get that with a tea bag.
4) Acai berries
The Acai is a South American native berry that possesses not only all of the antioxidant, vitamin and brain benefits of other purple berries such as blueberries and blackberries but also (oddly, for a berry) contains Essential Fatty Acids like Omega-3's like salmon, and and is even high in protein. The Acai is a true superfood. It has proven ORAC antioxidant levels higher than any other berry ever tested. Of course, we're talking about fresh Acai berries here...not some local generic health food shop pills claiming to contain Acai. That's where the challenge can come in, because it is very hard to find fresh Acai, since it needs to be quickly processed (flash-freeze dried, flash-frozen, etc.) and maintained and processed if you're to get the full benefits of this berry outside of South America.
5) Blueberries
Blueberries are a well-researched superfood. It makes the list because besides being a superfood, it is also widely available in fresh, original form (compared to Acai).
About the Author
Jeff Behar is a senior writer for http://www.musclemagfitness.com and http://www.Mybesthealthportal.com where he regularly writes about hot topics in the areas of health, fitness, disease prevention, nutrition, bodybuilding, men's health, weight loss, vitamins and supplements, and anti-aging